Flying-machine.



J. F. KAHL.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12.1917.

6 Q} INVENTQR 3 By Attorney-m,

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. F. KAHL.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1917.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 7 i INVENTOR N m X? BcMA F u WITNESSES:-

neaoee.

Specification of Letters lfatent.

Patented Mar. t, 19119.

Applicationflled June 12, 1917. serial No. 174,132.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. KAHL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aerial navigation and has for an object to provide an improved machine for such purpose in which the necessary framework structure is housed in such manner thatit presents the minimum resistance to passage through the air. It also provides an improved shape or construction of plane whereby the tendency to produce eddy currents in those parts where such currents are undesirable is obviated.

An additional feature is that the occupants are securely housed in, whereby they are protected from inclemency of the weather and the change of temperature due to altitude, r

and wherein the necessity of the operator being secured to his seat is also done away with. My improvement also provides an aeroplane which is capable of making an ascent fi'om the land or from the water, as is desired, and which is capable of landing on the land or on the water. In connection with the hydroplane features, a series of floats'is provided, and particularly a landing Edd float at the tail of the body of themachine.

Various specific improvements are described hereinafter in connection with and by reference to the accompanying drawings illustratin one practicable embodiment of my inventlon, in which drawings,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved aeroplane resting in the water; in

this view the plane toward the observer is shown in section at about the line 11 of Fig. 3; i

Fig. 2

I of the rudder and framework construction;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of themachine illustrated in Fig. 1; in this view one of the planes isshown stripped of its skin;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the aeroplghe looking at Fig. 1 from the left-hand s! e. i

'Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved aeroplane in flight, and

Figs. 6 and Tare details of construction.

The type of aeroplane herein-illustrated isthatw erein there is an elongated body, at the front end of which is located the opis a detail view illustrating certain crating parts and at which. the operator is stationed, and at which forward end there is provided upon. opposite sides of the body portion a pair of planes or wings. This present showing of the invention is illustrative of the best means with which I am now acquainted for carrying out my invention, but, of course, it is to be understood that changes may be made in size and relative proportion of the parts according to the various requirements of particular individual lid constructions. In the present showing there and somewhat forward of this rudder 10 is the vertical rudder l1, and at the front end of the frame there is shown mounted a propeller 12'upon the propeller shaft 13.

The body portion adjacent the forward end is provided with enlarged framing features' and a pilot house 14 to accommodate the operator and passengers, the motor 15, and the various supplies of fuel, food and ammunition which it may be required to carry. The motorshaft is shown provided with a pulley in the form of a'sprocket wheel 16 connected by means of a chain 17 with a sprocket wheel 18 on the propeller shaft 13. These connections are merely conventional illustrations. The size and location of the motive elements are, of course,to be determined by the constructor to meet the requirements of the service to which the aeroplane is intended to be put.

The framework for the planes 19 is shown of truss construction, having suitable framemembers designated generally by the, reference character 20 and braces similarly dos Anmincasing of such' skin, presents a' frame is given the construction of the hull of a boat, this part also being covered with a suitable skin of aluminum. Of course, if the ascents and landings are to be from the ocean, the aluminum is given a proper protective coating against the action of sea water. This part or hull is designated by the character 23 and from certain of its functions may properly be termed a waterhull. The hull or boat is, shown provided at'a convenient elevation with a suitable floor 24 upon which the motor rests, and below which the gasolene and other supplies shown a hull 31 which assists the'hull 23 in supportin the aeroplane upon the surface upon w ich it rests, whether this be land or water, and also affords the landing portion or that part of the device which 70 first strikes the surface upon which the landing is to made. IThe better practice in. alightirfg with my improved aeroplane is to land tail first, and'trail the tail until the momentum is sufliciently exhausted to per- 75 mit the forwardand plane-carrying end to gradually sink to pos tion. In landings in the water, 'my improved form of construction, together with this landing hull 31 prevents any injury whatsoever to the apparatus and particularly to therudders.

A strong and eflicient skin structure is produced and one which adds strength and rigidity to the'framewor-k by imposing upon the framework a base of wire netting may be stored both for the purpose of conwhich is tightly stretched upon the framevenience and ballast. The'occupants of the aeroplane can freely move about upon this.

floor and look out whetherthe machine is in 25 flight or at rest, through suitable'port-holes provided for the purpose. In the present illustration a series of port-holes 25 'is illustrated extending along each side of, the hull. These port-holes, of course, are so arranged sothat the occupants may make observations and direct their guns and perform such other military functions as they may be directed.

The planes herein illustrated at the sides 35 of the forward end of the body are of suchshape that their surfaces create practically no eddy currents or suction effects whereby the sustainin influence or power of the air is diminisherh In fact, the lower surface 26 of the planes is so constructed that it has a compressive action upon the air, the lines from front to rear being nearly straight and the transverse lines being such that the compressed air underneath the planes cannot readily escapesidewise, the outer lateral edge of each wing curving downwardly for preventing such escape.

The hull 23 is formed to assist the planes in their compressive action on the air. The upper surface 27 of the planeis constructed on a decided curve, but, never-- theless, the rearward part practically from about the point 28 to the rear edge indicated by the point 29 is substantially flat, and

55 forms, particularly at and near the rearward.

edge, a very acute angle with the under surface of the plane whereby there is no. tendency to create a suction efiect behind the planes.

so To assist in maintaining the equilibrium of the machine while in flight, the'major portion 'of the sustaining surfaces of the planes is well above the center of gravity of the" machine.

s: Under the rear of the body part there is .fioats may be edthat they willstand the attrition of the landing and ascending engagements with the work, and over this base is placed the thin skin 22 preferably of metal. By placing the skin of metal on thebase of wire netting a very thin sheet metal may. be used, the underlying base of wire netting enablingthe skin to withstand high air pres. sure, the netting at the same time. strengthening and supporting the frame, particularly that of the planes. The transverse curves of the lower portion of the planes are on such line that undesirable rocking of the aeroplane when in flight isprevented. If a tendency to rotate upon the vertical axis of the body should be caused, this is immediately counteracted by the compression of the air gathered up'within the curve of the plane, the radius of this curve being much less than the distance from the tip or outer edge 32 of such plane from any point within the body of the aeroplane. For the purpose of assuring equilibrium 1n the water when the aeroplane is at rest or floating upon the surface of the water, rovided at the outer edges of the wings, oats being illustrated at 33 in Fig. 6. Y

To prevent breaking the planes-when the body lands upon a hard'surface, as, for'instance, the ground, it is necessary that the keel 34 of the forward hull 23 be below the plane of the tips 32 oftheplanes. The keels'of the hulls 23 and 31 are so constructground. In some cases it is desirable to provide special landing skids, an improved form of skid 40 being illustrated herein, such skid comprising a laminated structurepreferably of wood to give elasticity and break the force of the shock of contact with the ground. I

- The;rudders 35 are shown carried b'ythje planes. These rudders are shown connected 1,2ec,oao in:

by means of cables 36 and are connected to the vertical rudder 11 by crossed cables 37 whereby the rudders move in unison but in opposition to the rudder 11 whereby the quick response to the rudder is" assured. The horizontal rudder 10 is shown connected by a suitable cable 38 to an operating lever 39.

It will be obvious that many changes may be made in the construction within the terms of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention; and it will also be obvious that certain accessories, as it were, which form no part of my particular invention, are shown of conventional form and location. For instance, the propeller and the propeller mechanism is shown in an illustrative manner. It is, however, my intention in certain sizes and types of machine, to place the propelling device rearwardly of the plane, but, nevertheless, forward of parts of the body of the machine thus avoiding the churning and agitation of the air through which the planes will pass, which is occasioned by the propeller at the forward end of the machine. In Fig. 3 I have illustrated in dotted lines at 120 propellers located at the rear edge of the planes.

What I claim is 1. An areoplane' having'a framework of timbers and braces. forming a body portion and a plane, and a skin completely incasing the entire framework and comprising a supporting base tightly drawn upon the framework and thin sheet metal covering resting upon the said base.

2. .In a device of the character described, the combination with a body portion having planes at its respective sides, each of said planes comprising a framework, and an outer. covering of thin sheet metal completely incasing the same, the outer edges of the planes being curved downwardly the lower surface of each plane' being so construoted that it has in flight a compressive action-upon the air, the lines from front to rear being nearly straight, and the transverse lines being such that the compressed a 1r underneath the planes is prevented from sidewise escape, the upper surface of the constructed on a decidedcurve ut, nevertheless, substantially flat, and forming a very acute angle with the rearward portion of the underside of the plane, whereby suction efi'ects rearwardly of the plane are avoided.

- 3. In an aeroplane, the combination with I a truss body portion, truss plane structures at the respective sides of one end of such with the rearward part' construction and comprising wire netting tightly drawn upon the same, and thin sheet metal covering and resting upon such net ting.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination with framework comprising a body portion and plane portions, of a skin completely incasing such framework and comprising wire netting tightly drawn upon the framework and thin, sheet metal overlying and resting upon such wire netting.

6. A device of the character specified, embodyin plane framework, and a skin covering t e upper and lower surfaces thereof and completely incasing such framework, said skin comprising a base of tightly stretched wire netting and thin sheet metal covering and resting upon such netting.

7. A flying machine comprising a body portion having planes at its respective sides, the outer edges of the planes being curved downwardly, the lower surface of each plane being so constructed that it has in flight a compressive action upon the air, the lines from front to rear being nearly straight, and the transverse lines being such that the compressed air underneath the planes is' prevented from sidewise escape, the upper sur-' face of the plane being constructed on a de-- cided curve but, nevertheless, with a rearward part substantially flat, and forming a very acute angle with the rearward portlon of the underside of the plane.

8. In an aeroplane, the combination with a truss body portion, truss plane structures atthe respective sides of one end of such body portion, such plane trusses curving downwardly at their outer edges, a hull located between such planes, a hull located at the rearward end of the body truss, and a skin completely incasing the said structure throughout.

' In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my-mame.

JOHN F. KAHL. 

